Aggressive game

[brianb10]

First, this is not a bad beat, pity me, thread.  Crap happens I know but I am curious as to if my overall thinking on strategy was close.

I found myself in a cash game that I normally do not play that was aggressive with lots of action.  I realize that these are exactly the type of juicy games that you should look for so I need to learn how to play them. 

It was a 1/2 game with frequent pre flop raises that would net 3-4 callers.  Was a full table and when we started stacks were all relatively even.  I bought in for $200.

Two of the straddle guys were to my immediate left.  I quickly learned that if I limped or completed the small blind they would immediately raise.  Figured I could use that to my advantage later on.  I played a pretty tight range, top 10 hands and suited connectors hoping to trap whenever they limped figuring that was an indication of a stronger hand on their part.  Was card dead most of time so lot of folding but was able to re-raise them in some timely sports to take advantage of my image.  I almost went broke once already on a rivered flush vs my flopped straight but I have grinded it back up to about 130 or so when this hand occurred and it is this hand that I want to ask about.

I am in SB.  Straddle is on for 10.  4 callers when it comes to me and I look down at pocket aces.  I just call the 10 because I am almost certain BB will raise.  He just calls but straddle raises to 30.  3 of the 4 original callers call the 30 so I shove when it gets to me.  To me I have been waiting for this all night and with my table image am hoping for everyone to fold or at least get rid of all but 1 caller.  None of the guys in this hand are tight and have been playing any 2 cards.  They are all the action junkies but I don't need one of them getting lucky with some off the wall hand.  Straddle tanks but folds and says anyone else and I call.  2 others fold but an older gentleman 2 off the button makes the call pretty quickly. 

No one flips over their cards.  Flop is K and 2 rags, turn is another rag non-pairing and the river is a 4.  I figured I had ran into a set of Kings but he flipped over 4's for a rivered set.  He tells me that was the 4th time tonight he got pocket 4's and figured he was due. 

I realize that my options were limited since I was a pre flop shove.  I'm sure had I had money behind any bet on the flop and he would have folded but was the pre flop shove correct?  Was my thinking right in a super aggressive game?  Like I said I think this is exactly the kind of game you look for so I want to learn how to play those types of games.  Any tips or advice is appreciated.

[Martini]

I have no issue with shoving there. You said it got raised to 30 with three callers so you already have 120+ in the pot. You shove for your remaining ~120. I am fine with either taking down that pot uncontested (100% chance of winning ~120) or getting called by any caller especially 44 (80% chance of winning ~210). With your stack there is really no other reasonable raise you can make.

[NotFadeAway]

Was it a good play to get all in preflop with aces?  I think you already know it was.  It's obviously just a bad beat.

[troysteelerfan]

Obviously you played that hand well  and the overall game fine from your description- but it can be tough when you're at a table full of loose aggressive players....I think you played it just fine and his comment (the 44) guy is typical of what you will see from those types of players ... he was playing his two cards....not giving any thought to what you could have had (or anyone else) for that matter....these types of players in my experience play any pocket pair and will just keep calling with it....I think you have to continue to play that same way against those types of players...

[brianb10]

Obviously you played that hand well  and the overall game fine from your description- but it can be tough when you're at a table full of loose aggressive players....I think you played it just fine and his comment (the 44) guy is typical of what you will see from those types of players ... he was playing his two cards....not giving any thought to what you could have had (or anyone else) for that matter....these types of players in my experience play any pocket pair and will just keep calling with it....I think you have to continue to play that same way against those types of players...

Thanks Troy.  I should have phrased my question more along the lines of how do you play against aggressive players like this?That was more what I was looking for as I knew I just got unlucky with the Aces.

[troysteelerfan]

I really do feel your "pain' on the hand - I play in a pretty regular game every other Wednesday -for the most part they are all about 75% of them - just like the game - they aren't super aggressive preflop but just very loose on calls and will chase hands constantly -personally when confronted with aggressive players - your strategy is what I would do as well - for better advice on dealing with super aggressive players (and loose ones) I would suggest reading the sections of Harrington on Hold'em (I and II) if you haven't already done so - he offers up excellent advice and strategy for dealing with these types of players.....thing is there isn't much you can do IMO - they will continue to chase hands, they will not even realize you have folded and folded and now are showing strength,in your hand - he only saw 44 and didn't even think what you may have.   I know its been said plenty of times here in the forums but try not to look at the result of the hand - rather the decisions you made - you played the hand perfect IMO and just got unlucky - it sucks and I would have been steamed but you got the results you were looking for and the cards just didn't hold up. 

Again - for what its worth and if you haven't already read them - pick up a copy of HOH and read the section on dealing with those super aggressive players, not to mention the aggressive players who are bad on top of it.